The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 28 Edo State Governorship Election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has said that he had, in the past few days, decided to seek the face of God to know the steps to take, after Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC), winner of the election.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu said that he heard the call to pursue the matter and recover the mandate, which the people had clearly given to him and the PDP.
Speaking to the PDP supporters and members of the Civil Society Organizations at his campaign office in Benin City, prior to a protest march that went through the city centre, Pastor Ize-Iyamu said that he had heard the call of Edo people to seek redress.
He said that he recognized that the struggle for the mandate was beyond his discretion because “it belongs to Edo people.”
The PDP candidate said that Edo people should be rest assured that the robbery would not stand because there was overwhelming evidence of the fraud, which was committed by INEC in connivance with the APC.
He enjoined the people to remain patient through an expected long-drawn legal battle that will end in the Supreme Court.
Ize-Iyamu upbraided Governor Adams Oshiomhole who, he said, was desperate to impose Mr. Godwin Obaseki so as to cover up the people’s money which Oshiomhole looted.
He said that Oshiomhole’s days as a governor were numbered and that he would soon become a former governor at which time he would no longer have immunity from prosecution for his financial crimes against Edo people.
He said that Godwin Obaseki’s tenure would be cut short and Oshiomhole would not escape probe.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu condemned the failure of the police to arrest APC’s State Youth Leader and known thug, Osakpamwan Eriyo who, in broad daylight, the police allowed to disrupt the collation of result in Oredo Ward two because the APC lost his ward.
He said the police should effect his arrest in a matter of days or the people will arrest him.
Before the march proceeded, Ize-Iyamu told the party supporters to observe a peaceful protest procession. The crowd of protesters, numbering thousands, went round some parts of the state capital.
Among the protesters were leaders of the PDP, including the state chairman, Chief Dan Orbih. [myad]
